syria's civil war is getting closer to the dictator. today there were battles between the assad military and rebels around the capital, damascus, a mortar slammed into a school near the capital, killing at least nine students. it's not clear who fired it. outside journalists rarely get inside syria, but our elizabeth palmer reached damascus and the families suffering there. >> reporter: this is the new normal in damascus: going to work past military checkpoints. random explosions and heavily armed soldiers. trying to ignore the charred wreckage of car bombs, knowing there will be others which could explode any time, anywhere. a twin blast in a neighborhood last week killed more than 30 people. the community rallied to repair shattered windows and walls, but any feeling of security is gone. across the capital, people are gradually adjusting to the encroaching war. "my children don't go to school any more" this man told me. "and everyday we hear the noise of shelling all around us." does it scare you at night? >> of course, i'm not scared